DODGERS NOTEBOOK: ABREU COOL AT THE HOT CORNER.

Byline: TONY JACKSON 

Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO -- When Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti went shopping for a third baseman last winter, a trip that ultimately proved fruitless, the prototype he had in mind bore no resemblance to Tony Abreu. The highly touted prospect was a natural shortstop who spent all of last season at second base with Double-A Jacksonville, and while he projected as a guy who would hit for average, he didn't have much power.

Barely two weeks into a major-league career that would still be waiting to happen if Colletti had found what he was looking for or if either Wilson Betemit or Andy LaRoche had been able to win the job outright, Abreu was hitting a cool .342 entering play Tuesday. Even more remarkable is the defense he has provided at third, a position he never played before spring training this year.

"There was no doubt in my mind he could play there," said Dodgers first-base coach Mariano Duncan, who works with the infielders. "It doesn't surprise me at all, because he is such a good athlete. Anybody who can play shortstop or second base can play third base."

But is it normal for a player to take to third base so quickly? "No, that isn't normal," Duncan said. "It's supposed to take some time."

Abreu's defensive skills were on display in Monday's win over Pittsburgh, when Derek Lowe's ill-fated no-hit bid was aided by several difficult plays at third that Abreu made look easy. The rookie had six assists, several of them on tough one-hoppers or slow rollers.

Abreu also committed twoerrors, both in the fifth inning and both on throws to first, a sign he might have been overanxious. But he bounced back quickly, making a flawless play on a Ronny Paulino grounder to end that inning.

Scary landing: A Delta Air Lines representative told Dodgers traveling secretary Scott Akasaki that there were no problems with the chartered 737 that brought the Dodgers here from Pittsburgh early Tuesday.

Several people in the team's traveling party noted that the plane veered several miles out over the Pacific Ocean just before landing.

The rumor was that the wing flaps weren't functioning, but Akasaki said the official explanation from Delta charter coordinator Edwin "Dee" Thompson was that while a flap-indicator light did come on in the cockpit, the flaps were found to be working properly. Thompson also told Akasaki that the unusual approach was due to noise restrictions that prohibit planes landing at such a late hour from doing so over residential areas.

The plane also made a hard landing, which officially was due to a short runway, forcing it to land at a steeper-than- usual angle.

Also: Closer Takashi Saito played catch for the first time since injuring his left hamstring Sunday. Saito said through an interpreter that he probably will miss this series, but that he isn't likely to go onto the 15-day disabled list. ... Rookie reliever Eric Hull was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room for Jason Schmidt to come off the DL. ... The MRI on reliever Yhency Brazoban's right shoulder showed no serious damage. Brazoban, who is on the 15-day DL, is expected to begin throwing next week.

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DODGERS at SAN DIEGO

- Tony Jackson